About AACT

Albertans Advocating for Change Together (AACT) is an Alberta self-advocacy network of people with developmental disabilities and their allies. The idea for the group came from the 2009 Self-Advocacy Summit. We are a united Alberta network that learns about issues and advocates passionately for positive change in society.

The group has met to talk about what we will do and how we will work together. We will use this website to keep people up-to-date about the network. Here is our logo. It shows one hand for each region all working together.

AACT's vision is a better world in which everyone is accepted.

Who can be part of AACT? Self-advocates and self-advocacy groups can be part of AACT. It costs $15/year to get everything in the mail (Paper member) or only $5/year to get everything by email (Email member). Members get a membership card, newsletters and personal invitations to AACT events, such as the Self-Advocacy Summits and annual general meetings. Click here for the membership form.

Who runs AACT? We have a Council made up of two self-advocate representatives from each region. Each region decides how it picks its representatives. At least six representatives and three regions must be at a meeting for decisions to be made. Anyone can come to Council meetings, but only the representatives can vote.

The representatives must talk to groups and self-advocates in their region to find out what is happening and what they think. They must be prepared for meetings.

AACT may have committees work on activities like communication and workshops. Sometimes members volunteer to work on an action together. We also use our meetings to take action. See our AISH page for a video we made about the cost of meds on AISH.

Each meeting has two co-chairs from different regions. The co-chairs run the meeting.

The Council meets at least four times each year. We use video-conferencing when we can not all be in one place.

Our next Council meeting is planned for September. The place is to be announced.

What does AACT do? We talk to the government to make sure self-advocate voices are heard. We also share what groups around Alberta do to put self-advocacy in action. Right now AACT representatives are part of a PDD self-advocate advisory group. We talk with the government about what people want and how we can work together.

We also write letters about issues that are important to us. Transportation is one of those issues. We sent letters to the Alberta Minister of Transportation to say how cuts to bus service in Alberta affect people who do not drive or have a car. This affects people with disabilities, seniors and other people who are poor.

We will need money and support to meet and make plans. We will also need money and support for newsletters and our website. We are a registered Society. We held our first Self-Advocacy Summit June 13-15, 2014. It was the fourth Self-Advocacy Summit in Alberta. We thank the Alberta Ministry of Human Services who gave us money for the Summit.